Grey's Anatomy Recap: Episode 16, "Freedom"

Grey's Anatomy Rundown: Episode 16, "Freedom"

The three words uttered most often during the season finale of Grey's Anatomy were "really big trauma." They were used in reference to a teenager who was dared to lay in a vat of cement at a construction site, after which he was encased in several tons of concrete — yeah, you can say "really big trauma" again. As is often the case with Grey's, those three little words paralleled what was happening in the lives of the doctors too.

Let's start with Meredith who was continuing the brain-tumor clinical trials with Derek. Due to medical regulations, they were allowed only one more day to succeed (following a staggering 11 deaths). To discuss what happened in this situation and with all the other residents' traumas, read more.

Of course, in true finale style, Derek and Meredith at first failed, but then miraculously succeeded at their difficult task. Meredith's personal life, unsurprisingly, rivaled the trauma going on with work. She finally made some progress with her therapist about her mother's attempted suicide. Progress that her therapist told her she'd have to figure out for herself. Was anyone else as confused as Meredith? Her discovery at the end of the episode was more fulfilling than I was expecting it to be, and she also made some exciting progress with Derek.

The other rather traumatic plot line of the night belonged to Alex. His pseudo-girlfriend Rebecca turned out to be just as delusional as last week's episode had foreshadowed. Rebecca even tried to commit suicide, but when Izzie suggested that she needed psychiatric help, Alex got, let's say. . . defensive. In the end, Rebecca proved to have underlying borderline personality disorder. I doubt we'll be seeing her much, if at all, next season.

Christina got out of the slump that she's been wallowing in since the show returned from its break. This was, most notably, because she received the sparkle pager. The pager allowed her to take any surgery she wanted, and as a result she was able to showcase her skills on the cement boy. Luckily, she was able to save the boy's life, a feat that made Erica Hahn extremely jealous. I knew Christina's tenure with Burke would prove beneficial.
George had a big night too: He discovered that he only failed the boards by one point. He got mad at himself at first, but then asked Richard to retake the boards and thankfully, Richard agreed. Something tells me we'll be seeing George as a resident early next season.

To wrap up the rest of the episode: Izzie was handed full reign over the clinic, Richard went back to his wife, Bailey learned to juggle being a working mom, and oh yeah, Derek promised to dump Rose for Meredith! Looks like the never-ending love saga will continue on through season five. And that makes me happy.

Some other thoughts:

How dramatic was the cement boy story line? I was riveted. This is precisely what I was missing last week.

I especially loved when Miranda tried to calm Mr. Cement down with a Star Wars analogy. Who knew she would prove to have such a vast knowledge of the films?

I laughed out loud when the female tumor patient asked if Derek or Meredith had ever done it. "With each other?" Derek exclaimed. "He's done it and I've done it," Meredith responded. Awkward!

Speaking of sex, the whole Callie, Mark, Erica hypothetical threesome story line kind of bored me. But — shocker lesbian twist at the end.

I'm a little surprised there wasn't a big cliffhanger. Everything seemed to be tied up with a nice little bow, which is unusual for Grey's.

What did you think? Are you happy with the season finale? What are your predictions for Season Five?

Wow, so many things to say about this final episode.
First, when I take the time to look closely at the construction of the scenes, I come away with the sense that there's no better writing on television right now. I know Shondra Rimes has taken leave to go focus on Private Practise and I'm a bit worried that Season 5 will suffer as a result. But that's silly -- she's had four seasons to get an outstanding writing team.
Looks like no one's written here since the thing first aired, really, but maybe as people prepare for the next season, conversation will take off again. Consequently, I'm going to feel no guilt about writing a ton of stuff -- hey, someone's got to fill the space :)
tbc

I absolutely LOVED this episode!!! Grey's certainly got it's groove back for this episode. My favorite part was when Meredith and Derek kiss in the candle house. Also, everyone's been speculating about what's going to happen next with MerDer and that something tragic will happen to split them apart, but that's not true. I just listened to the official Grey's Anatomy Podcast and Shonda Rhimes said that nothing tragic is going to happen to them. Examples she gave were: Derek's not gonna get hit by a bus or anything of that nature and Rose isn't going to end up pregnant.

I didn't think anything bad was going to happen to Derek and don't think the 'break-up' with Rose is going to be a big deal - I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even show it.
She knows it's coming.
I actually think it would be cheesy if they didn't just let them be together right now. It would be refreshing to just having them happy for more then 1 episode!
I can see the show picking up a few days or weeks later, rather then the next morning (or whatever).

I really loved it! I think it was a great episode for Meredith (Hello she's finally getting over her issues), Cristina (Thank GOD she told Hahn to back off) and Alex (He was awesome/raw and it was a great storyine).
I really hope nothing happens to Derick so he can't come back... come on they can only put us through so many things to hold them from each other! Plus the fact that Shonda said they would be together - leads me to believe otherwise. I think Meredith's expression probably was just because she was seeing derick walk away from her... maybe she thinks he won't come back and is let down by someone else in her life.
The Callie/Ericka storyline is lame. It just seems to forced/contrived and not "real."
I agree with others that Lexie is kind of annoying. She needs to toughen up if she wants to work in the hospital.
I've always liked Alex and Lizzie together... not sure why.

I watched the episode on DVR so missed the Honda commercial but that is pretty funny. I feel like the only one that was a bit annoyed by the George/Lexi kiss, I know it was exxpected, but I don't want it to happen. George has slept with almost everyone already. I think it is time to give him a break from the inhouse romance. I am excited from next season which is the whole point of a season finale.

It was a fabulous episode. I loved the last scene with Meredith and Derek.
omg..when Mark told Callie "I wish I was all someone thought about" it made me swoon. Maybe he will change his whorish ways.
And Alex breaking down made me cry. Sigh...

Ok one more thing I just thought of, I am so sick of McSteamy's whole schtick of being a dog. Its old, the man is in his late 30s early 40s and he loves sex and hates relationships, but he just "can't change." WE.GET.IT.
Was him telling Callie to go after Hahn supposed to be his big break through? He looked more like a leering creep than a changed man to me.

And also I know we are all used to them ruining our hopes, but season premieres are usually much more light-hearted and they usually start back up with time passed from the previous finale since its been months. I think it'd be odd for them to pick back up hours after where they left off with an accident. Last season they started things off an entire summer later. Of course this season finale didn't have the typical cliffhanger so maybe they will change up the expected format of a season premiere? Ugly Betty had a really heavy season premiere last year so its possible GA will follow suit.

I was so unexcited for this finale bc of the weak episodes the last few weeks, but I loved it! I was holding back tears the entire time.
I loved how the cement story tied all of their specialties together. And I was so happy that Derek and Meredith helped the patients have sex for the first time lol (and terrified those parents would find out). I started like cheering when Yang snapped at Hahn, and I was so happy when the chief stood up for her and lectured Hahn ab teaching, which led to Christina teaching Lexi.
I don't think Alex and Izzie had sex. He was asking her for it as a way to avoid his issues, and it looked like she was going to but then he just broke down. I don't know how he'd be able to get it up after the day he had.
I think the Callie/Erica thing is ridiculous. It seems like they are just making her gay for the sake of making a character gay. The story doesn't fit the character, its just coming out of nowhere. Why can't women just be friends without it being sexual? It started as some dumb male lesbian fantasy and they are trying to turn it into an endearing relationship? Its not progressive, its bad writing.

Oh my gosh I LOVED the finale! I've already watched it twice.
A long time ago, I had an ex who wanted me back. He said romantic things and we started kissing me and I felt like I was in some romantic fantasy land until I asked him, "Don't you need to call your girlfriend?" He said he didn't want to ruin the moment to "deal with that" and would call her later. I was disgusted and disappointed--he hadn't really changed any. So my heart melted when Derek left to go call Rose--it's the right thing to do, and it takes balls and brains to interrupt a perfect moment to do the right thing. I loved Derek even more that I always had. I was also proud of Meredith for making a big effort to show how much she has changed. I don't think she changed over night. This episode was supposed to take place weeks if not months later (remember all those clinical trial patients who died in the beginning?), and she has been making legitimate progress. There is no way she would have been able to map out their floorplan at the beginning of this season.
I don't think they'll have anything go terribly wrong. And even if they do... thanks to the writers for giving me all summer to imagine they had a great night in my mind before they come back and tell me otherwise. :D
I also loved Alex's story line! I was thrilled Bailey finally told Izzie to stop whining and grow up and do her job, I was thrilled that they're taking Rebecca/Ava out so we don't have yet another painful co-dependent relationship to follow on the story, and seeing Alex cry while kissing Izzie was so moving. I hope they do more with Alex next season.
And yes I saw that commercial with the guy in concrete and also thought it was terrible timing. Oops!

I loved the thing with the candles as blueprints. Those writers know us girls are watching! Also loved Alex, and I choked up when he said "I've done this before. I did it for my mom" and his voice cracked a little. So sad...

Okay, why would they remove Patrick Dempsey from the show? You guys are not making any sense about a car crash. Something tragic along those lines has already happened to Mer, doing something like it a second time would be dumb. I have a feeling that Rose is pregnant, because remember how she told Meredith that she was intimidated by her? Rose is probably scared that Mer & Derek will get together, and Rose will be left alone with a baby.
That's my guess, like I said- if they killed Derek in a car crash, then Patrick would be gone from the show and he's signed on for the whole thing.

i didn't quite understand the scene where derek said he failed her again and again.. i know he's talking about meredith but it's weird how he has this sudden realization. can somebody please explain that part?

Oh graylen I agree. I don't think anything bad will happen to him or them as a couple. He told her to stay there at their candle house so why would he just leave her there? The Alex scene was odd. Justin Chambers is so ugly to me and Alex pisses me off; but it was nice to see him finally break down but I hated how he begged Izzie to sleep with him.

I have to say I was eh about this episode. There have been times where I've been so deeply moved watching Greys but last night was not one of them. My favourite part was seeing Yang do her thing and finally put Hahn in her place for once - that was a long time coming. Other than that, just eh. The Meridith/Derek final scene was unsatisfying to me, don't know why, it just was.

Just finished it! I really enjoyed this episode. Everyone felt older though. Meredeth sounded exactly like Ellis in that final scene. Lexie and George was an obvious thing. So cute though! George is easily one of my favourites. Erica/Callie=I don't know. I think it'll be too awkward for Callie and she'll back out of it. I HATE Hahn. I think I just generally hate the actress who plays her because I hated her when she was on 'Weeds' for a few episodes. Beth's boyfriend [Jeremy?] dying was sad. And cement boy was just...weird. Moving though with Bailey. I love her hair.

I really thought the only good news in this finale was Yang finally getting her spunk back....Meredith was "cured" a little too fast, Derek was too quick to go back with her....The whole "ashamed for a relationship" parallel with the girl who was with the cement boy and Kali was so cliche...I thought it was disgusting how Mark was so obsessed with the sex and did smile a little when he seemed to care when Kali and Dr. H did get together. Maybe we'll actually get some character development from him being that he is so dull and gross usually.
I'm surprised they didn't move the show forward 5 years to save the sinking plots like dhw pathetically did. I'm so over Meredith and Derek and since they both pledge that this is it for them and they will be together forever, how many more times are people going to put up with them breaking up...

I just got to watch it tonight- not bad. Jeez- everybody is hooking up. Cristina will need some loving next year. Something with Derek leaving doesn't sit right but I hope they don't pull anything sttupid like a pregnancy (Rose really annoys me).
The Callie/Hahn thing is interesting and I am curious at how George will take the news that his ex-wife is bisexual?
Side note that may have been discussed before but I just read and figured out this week that Hahn was the girl in Silence of the Lambs. I totally never put that together even though I've seen that film so many times.